Towering mountains, yawning canyons, impressive waterfalls, the “Big Five” and other wildlife, game parks, lush vegetation bushveld … are all characteristics of this province South East of Gauteng.

Historical sites and villages, old wagon routes and monuments mark events and characters who passed before in search of adventure and wealth. The cultural heritage of the province is both varied and unique. From the Ndebele beadwork and house painting to the crafts of the Lowveld, a unique sight is offered into the history, lives and passions of the people.

Stretching from the flat Highveld grasslands, famous for it’s superb trout fishing, to the rugged escarpment of the Drakensberg mountains, Mpumalanga includes some of the country’s most famous ‘Big Five’ game reserves in it’s unspoiled wilderness, as well as breathtaking scenery and various sites of historical interest.

As we travel along the edge of the magnificent escarpment past the town of White River to the scenic hamlet of Hazyview, the craggy peaks of the mountains cannot but move one to the west, and the subtropical plains of the Kruger National Park.

Nelspruit, the provincial capital, is the center of the agricultural industry, including citrus, avocado, mango and pawpaw. Northwards is White River, Entrance point the Kruger National Park and famous for it’s excellent curio shops. Further north one finds one of Mpumalanga’s most spectacular tourist attraction, the Blyde River Canyon, a gigantic gorge, providing views that are one of life’s great experiences. Bourke’s luck potholes is a series of deep cylindrical cavities formed by river erosion and floodwater over the years.

Of the many waterfalls in the region, the Mac Mac Falls are said to be the best. The quaint Victorian village of Pilgrim’s Rest, which has been lovingly preserved since the days of the gold rush, is close to the Lisbon and Berlin Falls.

The world-famous Kruger National Park - Home to the ‘Big Five’ also has 147 species of mammals and a vast number of amphibians, reptiles and birds. Despite the fact that thousands of visitors visit the Park daily, it has remained unspoiled.

Man’s interaction with the Lowveld environment over many centuries, from Bushmen rock paintings to majestic archaeological sites like Masorini and Thulamela, is very evident in the Park.

Other interesting towns include
• Nelspruit
• Sabie
• Whiteriver
• Graskop
• Lydenburg
• Malelane

Other interesting highlights include
• The Boshabelo Mission Station for a taste of traditional Ndebele life.
• The breathtaking Blyde River Canyon.
• Sudwala Caves, the magical caverns full of stalactites and stalagmites.
• A look at the Gold Rush era at Barberton’s Belhaven House Museum.
• The splendour at God’s Window.
• Trout fishing in Dullstroom.